Universal necktie press



July 28, 1931. v. SYREN 3 9 UNIVERSAL NEQKTIE PRESS Fileg May 1, 1950 Patented July 28, 1931 VICTOR SYREN, or BROOKLYN, new YORK UNIVERSAL NECKTIE PRESS Application filed May 1, 1930. Serial No. 448,823.

This invention relates to necktie presses and sim lar, devices.

One object or the invention is to provide an improved adjustable necktie press that e gan be set in any required position without wrinkling the necktie and to suit neckties of various sizes and shapes, for a uniform and smooth stretching action thereon.

,. Another object of the invention is tofurli) nish a device of the character described,

having aplurality 'of bars and improved unitary means to move the bars apart with an even tension and without causing any I substantial lengthwise movement of the bars.

T5 Another object of the invention is to furnish a device of the nature set forth having a plurality of bars, or the like, and improved means actuated at one end of the bars for moving the same apart uniformly or more tilt) at one end of the bars than at the other end thereof, I V I I Another Object of the invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned having v an improved locking means to hold the device 1n adjusted posit on.

A further 'object of the invention is to provide a device for stretching neckties or similar articles Which comprises few and simple parts, is cheap to manufacture, easy, and I convenient to apply and reliable, rugged and 'eflicie'nt in use to a high degree.

Qther objects and advantages of the vention will become apparent as the speciii cation proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined' claims, and illustrated on the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of a device em- 'bodyi'ng the invention, in collapsed position.

.Fig. 2 a side v'iewof the device in opened position. e k

I Fig. Sis a side view of the device opened at only one end.

v stretch the article.

Fig. 4 is an end view of thedevice shown in Fig. 1.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole. i I p It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appert ains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore is submitted merely as showing the preferred exem'plifi'cation of the invention.

Generally described, this invention pro.- vides a press or stretcher which. can be used with many different articles, as for example, neckti'es. A plurality of bars are arrange for suitable relative movement: to collapse for easy insertion into or removal 'ofthe device from the article, or to expand to These bars may be made movable with respect to each other without substantial relative lengthwise movement to prevent straining orwrinkling of the article. For this purpose a means is provided interconnecting the bars at pivot points 1ying along a line approximately parallel to the axis of the device, with the pivot, points spaced apart to a suitable extent. The said means may be actuated in any suitable manner, but to assure a simplified construction,

the said means includes an arm extending to t one end of thedevice, preferably the larger end. This arm causes the bars to move apart a djustingly to conform with the size or taper of the necktie. Coacting with the said arm is a locking means to retain the device locked in said position.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 denotes a device embodying the invention, the principle of which is applicable for many different purposes, but which in the embod'i ment shown is constructed for use as a necktie press. The said device includes a plurality of bars 11 and 12 which are made of thin sheet material as, forexample, metal,

-and lie in a common plane. Thes'aid bars are substantially co-extensive in length and are adapted to lie with their inner edges 13 in any suitable relation or in close proximity to each other in the collapsed position of the device. The outer edges l-ft, of the bars taper with respect to each other and may be of a smooth and uniform character for easy insertion into a necktie without binding thereon, or damaging the material. At the smaller end 16 of the device, the inner edges are relatively spaced from each other as shown at 17 in the collapsed position of the device as in Fig. 1. At the larger end 18 of the device, the said bars have oppositely extending portions 19, 20, which may be constructed in any suitable manner. i-Xccording to one possible embodiment of the invention these portions 19, 2O constitute portions of a locking means, lie in the same plane as the bars 11., 12 and may be substantially co-extensive witn each otaer. The locking portions 19, 20 may he variously constructed as, for example, by cutting the angles 21, 22 in the bars 11, 12, respectively. In the collapsed position of the device it is seen that the portion 19 lies wholly within and abuts a side of the angle 21 as indicated at 23. Co-acting with the portions 19, 20, is an interengaging means of any suitable nature as, for example, a screw 2' and nut 25. By spacing the portions 19, 20 to form a guideway 26, the screw may be passed through the said guideway and with the head of the screw at one side of the plane of the device, and the nut 25 upon the other side thereof. Thus the portions 19, 20 may be locked in any relative position with respect to each. other.

Interconnecting the bars 11, 12 for a pre determined relative movement in the plane of the dev re and with a minimum of longitudinal movement of the parts, is a means 27 which may be in the nature of a. link or lever. The same may have pivots 28, 29 connected to the portions 11, 12 respectively and with a straight line passing through the pivots lying approximately along or at a very small angle to the center line of the stretcher device. The n'ieans 27 is seen to be so arranged as to add as little as possible to the thickness of the device, and the latter may be constructed in different ways for the accomplishment of this object. In the embodiment shown, the means 27 is made of a thin sheet of material such as metal and lies closely against the bars 11 and 12 and in a plane parallel therewith. The bars 11 and 12 are movable apart as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 without any substantial relative lengthwise movement, first, because the piv ots 28, 29 are arranged along a line as closely paralleling as may be pr ctical the center line of the device, and, second, because the distance between the pivots 28, is sufii ciently great to permit all desired relative movement apart of the portions 11 and 12 to be obtained through a very small angular movement of the means 27. Since the bars 11 and 12 are movable apart without relative longitudinal movement therebetween, the edge portions of a necktie will not be subjected to a longitudinal stretching, but the stretching will occur only transversely of the necktie to obtain a perfectly smooth and even stretching action. It may therefore be noted that the direction of relative movement of the bars 11 and 12 may vary to adjust itself according to the size or taper of the necktie. Thus the said bars may move apart in equal amounts at both ends, or the bars move apart more at either end of the device, providing a universal adjustability.

The means 27 includes an arm 30 that extends to the larger end 18 of the device for convenient actuation and movement apart of the bars 11 and 12. The arm 30 may projcct slightly at 31 beyond the end of the de vice. If desired, it may co-operate with the clamping screw 24, as, for example, by passing the latter directly therethrough. The clamping screw will accordingly be movable together with the arm and as a unit there with.

It will be clear that while the bars 11 and 12 may be moved apart directly, that the lever 27 is of advantage in causing a superior action of the device in that the said bars will be caused to move apart with a substantially uniform force throughout the length of the device so that all. portions of the necktie may be uniformly stretched. This is due to the fact that the lever acts on both of the bars 11 and 12 and the uniformity is further aided by the fact that the pivots 28 and 29 considered as a unit will be substantially centrally positioned intermediate the ends of the device.

The operation of the necktie presswill now be clearly apparent. The device in the collapsed position of Fig. 1 is directly inserted into a necktie and being plane and thin will not interfere with any filler in the necktie. Then the clamping nut 25 is loosened, and the end portion of the bar 14 which projects from the necktie grasped in the hand, the thumb of which may manipulate the finger piece 81 to move the same into any of the positions such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, causing the bars 11 and 12 to move apart. As the edges 14.- and 15 of the bars come into contact with the edges of the necktic, further expansion of the device is prevented, the latter automatically adjusting itself according to the size and taper of the necktie. After the desired degree of force has been brought to bear upon the device for stretching the necktie, the clamping nut 25 is tightened, holding the devise in set position. The necktie is permitted to remain on the press until it has become perfectly smooth and all wrinkles removed therefrom, an operation which is facilitated by slightly moistenin the necktie. The press is then removed from the necktie by loosening the clamp nut 25 and moving the finger piece portion 31 to collapse the device for easy Withdrawal from the necktie.

It will be appreciated that the device herein shown may be modified in many different ways within the principles of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described, including a plurality of elongated bars, 'a lever extending along the bars, said lever lying approximately in the direction of the bars, said lever having spaced pivots connecting the same to the individual bars, said pivots being remote from the ends of the bars, said lever extending to one end of the bars, the extending end of the lever constituting an arm for angularly moving the lever with respect to the bars, and means to lock the lever to. one of the bars against pivotal movement of the lever.

2. A device of the character described, including a plurality of elongated bars, a lever extending along the bars, said lever lying aproximately in the direction of the bars, said lever having spaced'pivots connecting the same to the individual bars, said pivots being remote from the ends of the bars, said lever extending to one end of the bars, the extending end of the lever constituting an arm for angularly moving the lever with respect to the bars, and means to lock the lever arm to both of the bars to hold the device in set position.

3. A device of the character. described, including a plurality of elongated bars, a lever extending along the bars, said lever lying approximately in the direction of the bars, said lever having spaced pivots connecting the same to the individual bars, said pivots being remote from the ends of the bars, said lever extending. to one' end of the bars, the extending end of the lever constituting an arm for angularly moving the lever with respect to the bars, said bars having angular portions extending toward each other, and means to lock the lever arm to said portions in any position of adjustment of the device. a

4. A device of the character described, including a plurality of thin bars lying in the same plane alongside each other, a lever of thin material lying closely along one side of said bars, said lever being pivotally connected to said bars to move the same apart, said lever extending in the direction of said bars, and means to secure the lever to one of said bars to retain the lever in set position.

5. A device including a plurality of elongated bars lying alongside and in rela one end of said bars both of said bars being free to swing about said pivots, and means to lock an end of one of the bars to said lever against relative movement thereof.

7. A device including a plurality of elongated barslying alongside and in relative proximity to each other, a lever interconnecting said bars at longitudinally spaced pivots, said pivots being spaced from the ends of the bars, said lever extending in the general direction of said bars to an end of the latter, one of said bars having a transversely extending element at an end thereof, and means to releasably adjustably lock the end of the lever with said element.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

VICTOR SYREN. 

